“You can’t reconcile being pro-life on abortion and pro-death on the death penalty.”
-N.T. Wright

When I first read this quote I was excited. Really excited. For two reasons: (1) I am against the death penalty – for the most part – and (2) I love N.T.Wright.

Personally, I am not a fan of the government having the power to kill the citizens of their countries. Regardless, there are certain circumstances when the government ought to be able to exact the death penalty: first, the death penalty should be exacted if and only if  the crime committed is deserving of death (you can get into some tricky ground there), and second,  if and only if absolute evidence can be produced by the prosecution (i.e. clear video or DNA evidence, etc.).

Anyways, back to the quote. I think, as conservatives who value life above all other rights, we should consider the apparent discontinuity between our vehement opposition of abortion – and rightfully so – and our upholding of capitol punishment. There is an obvious retort to this: unborn babies are innocent, and those sentenced to death are not! Of course. I agree with this. Yet if we uphold life as the highest value, we should strive to preserve it at all costs. No, this does not warrant pacifism; but it does call us to avoid killing people if at all possible. There are obviously ways to do so regarding crime: life in prison, with or without parole, maybe even solitary-confinement, etc. Maybe even instilling cruel and unusual punishment would deter soon-to-be-criminals from committing crimes worthy of such a sentence… Okay, just kidding… Don’t do that.

Death is terrible. Death is a monster. It truly is, and inflicting it upon another ought to be avoided at all costs. Of course, self-defense and war are times where killing is warranted, but over all, it should be shunned. Abortion should be outlawed immediately along with the death penalty, if it doesn’t meet the requirements listed above.

Just a few scribblings. Feel free to comment your thoughts.

In Christ,

Lucas.